Spacer for hair curlers



M. w. PITNER 2,136,196

SPACER FOR HAIR CURLERS Filed July 20. 1936 Patented Nov. 8, 1938 UNITED .sm/Tiss PATENT ori-'ICE SPACER Foa HAIR Cummins Marion W. Pitner, Chicago, Il1.,rassignor to The National Mineral Company, Chicago, Ill., a corporation of Illinois Application July 20,

15 Claims.

The present invention relates to spacers for hair curlers. It relates more particularly to a type of spacers that employs rubber sleeves and has for its general object theprovision of a spacer that shall be light in weight and efficacious in use. I

One type of spacer now in common use comprises a pair of clamping bars hingedly connected at one end and releasably connectable at the other end and rubber sleeves on said bars. These rubber sleeves are sometimes provided with two oppositely disposed hair gripping faces or jaws either of which may be used, after the other becomes useless, by turning or reversing.

In producing a curl, a bunch of hair from section of the head is clamped by a spacer close to the head. The end of this bunch of hair is fastened to a curler, and the lhair is wound upon.

the curler until the curler rests upon the spacer and until the hair, which is elastic, is tightly stressed around the curler.

A ratchet-like mechanism prevents the curler from turning backward, and, if the hair is securely held by the spacer, it is maintained in itsI stressed state while being treated with solution and heat and a good curl is produced, but, if the tension on the hair is lost, whether by slipping through the spacer jaws or by causing the sleeve to turn on the bar, the curl will be unsatisfactory and what is known as a pull-burn may occur.

Due to the oil, heat and pressure to which they are subjected in use, rubber sleeves frequently become so distorted or damaged that they will no longer hold the hair securely, and, when a rubber sleeve is used in contact with the metal bar of a spacer, the rubber may adhere to the bar so tightly that it may be difficult, if not impossible, to slide it off without irreparably damaging it.

The area of the surface of a bar or liner that bears against the rubber sleeve should be great enough to produce sumcientpressure upon the hair to securely hold it, without injuriously distorting and damaging the rubber sleeve. A bar of sufllcient thickness to provide the necessary area, if of sufficient width to withstand the pressure, would be undesirably heavy. My improved construction not only provides any desired area and a thin, light bar, but also provides afchannel into which the rubber bearing is seated to prevent the rubber sleeve from turning and to reduce the pressure 'necessary to hold -the hair and the con' sequent injury to the rubber.

One object of this invention is the provision inel spacerfor hairM curlers of a rubber sleeve having a flexible compressible metal lining adapt- 1936,.Srial No. 91,477

ed to facilitate sliding the sleeve on and oil' of the clamping bars.

It is also an object of this invention to provide a rubber sleeve with a metal lining capable of giving a desired area of bearing surface against 5 the sleeve without increasing the thickness of the clamping bar on which the lined sleeve is placed.

It is a further purpose of this invention to provide a rubber sleeve for clamping bars of spacers 10 for hair -curlers with a metal lining which acts as a reenforcement for the clamping bar itself.

The invention further contemplates as one of its objects the provision of a rubber sleeve for the clamping bars of spacers for hair curlers with 15 a lininghaving divergent projecting corners and a channeled seat for the rubber bearing.

The provision of a spacer having a pressureattachable and detachable connecting and clamping link and the provision of 'a slidably removable 90 and replaceable resilient sleeve having a metal lining therein, as an article of manufacture, whereby said lined sleeve may be removed and reversedor replaced by a new lined sleeve, without the use of a screwdriver, Wrench, or other 25 tool, are particular objects of the present invention.

The features and advantages of the invention will morev clearly appear from the following descripton, reference being had to the accompany- 30 ing drawing wherein a preferred form of the invention is shown. It is to b e understood, however. that the drawing and description are illustrative only and are not to be taken as'limiting the invention except in so far as it lis limited by 35 the claims.

In the drawing- Fig. 1 is a plan view of a spacer for hair curlers, shown closed, embodying the present invention.

Fig. v 2 is a View, similar to Fig. 1 except that 40 the spacer is shown open with the clamping and connecting link detached. y

Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken substantially on the line 3 3 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is an enlarged sectional view taken on 45 .the line 4--4 of Fig. 1, a section of a curler with hair wound thereon ybeing shown in dotted lines.

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary sectional view illustrating the manner in which the connecting and clamping link is attached and detached.

Referring nowin detail'to the drawing, the spacer consists of a pair of bars 6 and 1 which are secured together at one end by hinge-link g* to which bar 6v is rigidly fastened by tight rivets l 9 and l2 and to which bar I is pivoted by means 55 of loose rivet I8. The link 8 is provided with a bracket I I adapted to receive and support one end of a curler on which hair is wound. The link 8 is preferably made up of two pieces 8a and 8b, which are held together by tight rivets 9 and I2 and pivot-rivet IIJ so as to form a unitary structure.

The bar 6 has a lined rubber sleeve thereon, and the bar 1 has a similar lined rubber sleeve thereon. These sleeves are provided for the purpose of receiving and gripping the hair therebetween as will be readily lunderstood. The rubber portions of these sleeves are indicated by the numerals I3 and I4.

At its free end, the bar 6 normally has attached thereto a, connecting and clamping link I5, which comprises upper and lower members I6 and I1 respectively, which are spaced apart to receive clamping and locking cam 20 and bars 6 and 1 and which are held intheir relative positions by rivets 2| and 2 3.

The upper member I 6 is providedwith a brackv' et I8 adapted to receive andy support the other a fulcrum for cam 20 that is pivotally mounted.

end of said curler.

'I'he bar 6 adjacent its free end is provided with a slot 24 in the edge thereof, and the bar 1 adjacent its free end is provided with a notch or recess I9 in the outer edge thereof. The free end of bar 6 is between members I6 and I1, and

the spacing rivet 23 engages slot 24 when link I5 is attached to bar 6.

The recess I9 is adapted to receive' and form in the link I5 by means of rivet 2|. A lever or finger piece 22 by which the cam is actuated is formed integral with cam 28.

To clamp the hair between bars 6 and 1 and the lined sleeves thereon, the link I5 is swung on pivot rivet 23 into a position in which cam 2G will engage the recess I9, when the finger piece 22 is turned on pivot-rivet 2I in a counterclockwise direction to the position shown in Figure l where it is effectively held because the line of force between rivets 2I and 23 is moved past the bearing point of cam 20. The force tending to spread the bars 6 and 'I when they are clamped together is then utilized to oppose release of the cam 20.

The lined sleeves are composed of the rubber sleeves I3 and I4 and tubular metallic linings 25 which are adapted to slide snugly upon the cori responding bar. The lining 25 is produced by folding a strip of metal about .008 inch thick to the form shown. This thin metal makes a flexible compressible lining for the rubber sleeves I3 and I4. As shown best in Fig. 2, this lining is somewhat shorter than the rubber sleeve in which it is placed so as to leave a portion 26 of the rubber sleeve projecting beyond the metallic lining at both ends thereof.

The normal width of the passage through the rubber sleeves is somewhat less than the width of the lining and must be stretched to vinsert the lining, but, as the rubber sleeves project beyond the ends of the linings, the ends of the rubber sleeves contract in width somewhat as shown in Fig. 2.

This contraction obviates interference between the ends of the sleeves at 26 when the spacer is closed. The projection of the rubber sleeve at the open end of bar 6 prevents the connectq ing and clamping link from falling olf bar 6 when spacer is open.

As shown most clearly in Fig. 4, the gripping faces of the sleeves I3 and I4 are the narrower faces 21 and 28. 'I'he rubber between these faces and the adjacent faces 29 and 30 of the lining 25 is thickened at the center. To receive this thickened part of the rubber, the faces 29 and 30 of the metal lining 25 are depressed to form a longitudinal channel.

'Ihe lining 25 has projecting corners 3l and 32 and has its flat sides 33, 34, 28, and 38 pressed inwardly to slidably ,engage the sides and edges of the bar. A plurality of ribs 35, 36, 31, and 38 run lengthwise on the interior surfaces of the rubber sleeves I3 and I4. These ribs resist the tendency of the rubber to turn on the lining and space the rubber from the flat sides 33 and 34 of the metallic linings 25 thus providing air spaces throughout the length of the rubber sleeves I3 and I4 for heat insulating purposes.

When the hair is clamped between the rubber sleeves I3 and I4, said thickened portions of said sleeves and said projecting corners resist any forces tending to move them out of engagement with the depressed faces 29 and 38 of their linings.

The removal of the lined sleeves for the purpose of reversing or replacing them when they become damaged in some fashion is made very convenient with the present structure. Obviously, the linedfsleeve upon the bar 1 may be removed when the spacer is open.

In order to remove the lined sleeve from the bar 6, however, it becomes necessary to remove the link I5 from this bar. This removal is accomplx'shed by pressing the end of the link I5, which carries rivet 23, endwise against the projecting portion 26 o-f the rubber sleeve I3, with the lingers andwithout the use of a tool, until the rivet 23 is forced out of the slot 24, as shown in Fig. 5.

After the lined sleeve has been removed and reversed or replaced as desired, thelink I5 can be readily attached by pushing the end which carries the rivet 23 endwise against the rubber sleeve I3 and toward the slot 24, with the fingers and without the use of a tool, until the rivet 23 enters the slot.

When two rubber sleeves, such as used on the 'present spacer, with linings made of the same thickness and quality of material, but without the projecting corners, are used on the present spacer, the rubber sleeves may be injuriously distorted because there is not sufficient bearing surface between the lining and rubber; but, when linings having the form and bearing area contemplated in the present invention are used, the hair is securely lheld without undue injury to the rubber sleeve.y

One purpose of the liner is to increase the bearing surface against the rubber without increasing the thickness and therefore the weight of the bars. The liner also reinforces the bar, fa-

cilitates the sliding on and off of the lined sleeves and greatly increases the resistance against the tendency ofthe sleeve to turn when the hair is being stressed.

An optional and equivalent construction that would permit the removal and replacement of a lined sleeve from bar 6 would be produced byV making a rigid connection between bar 1 and hinge link 8 similar to the connection shown between hinge link 8 and bar 6, a detachable connection between hinge link 8 and bar 6 similar to the connection shown between bar 6 and link I5 and a pivot connection between link I5 and bar 6 similar to the connection shown between bar 1 and hinge link 8. Obviously, a rigid connection may be eliminated by making the connected parts integral with one another.

All of the metal parts of this spacer are'made of corrosion resisting material of greatstrength and light weight, sucli, for example, as aluminum and stainless steel.

The sleeves I3 and I4 may be made of any suitable elastic material, such, for example, as

a heat and chemical resisting rubber composition.

From the above description, it is believed that the construction and advantages of this device will be readily apparent to those skilled in this art. It is also believed to be evident-that various modifications may be made from the exact details shown and described without departing from the scope of the invention as it is dened in the claims.

Having thus described the invention, what I claim as new vand desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A spacer for hair curlers comprising a pair of bars, means at one end of said bars hinging them together, resilient lined sleeves on said bars, and a locking device for locking the free ends of said bars together comprising a link pivoted to one of said bars, said link having means thereon for engaging the other bar and pressing it toward the ilrst named bar, said first named bar having a slot therein, and said link having a pivot member seated in said slot, the sleeve on said rst named bar having a `portion overlapping the slot and closing the entrance thereof suftlciently to hold 'the pivot member in the slot.

2. Aspacer for hair curlers comprising a pair of bars hinged together at one end, resilient sleeves on said bars and slidable` endwise thereon, a link removably pivoted to' the free end of one of said bars bya pin and slot connection, said link and the other bar having cooperating parts adapted to press the bars together, the sleeve on the first named bar having means yieldingly opposing removal of the link from said first named'bar.

3. A spacer for hair curlers comprising a pair of bars, means hinging said bars together at one end, means at the other end of said bars connected to one of them and engageable with the other for clamping said bars together, removable resilient sleeves slidable endwise on said bars, one of said means vbeing removable from one end of each bar to permit removal of said sleeves, one of said sleeves having a portion yieldingly opposing such removal. v-

4. A spacer for hair curlers comprising a pair of bars hinged together at one end, a link removably pivoted to the free end of one of said bars and having means thereon to engage the other bar and clamp the bars together, and metal lined resilient sleevesslidably mounted on said bars, the metal lining of said sleeves providing a bearing surface to engage the bars.

5. A spacer for hair curlers comprising a pair of bars hinged together at one end, a link removably pivoted to the free end of one of said bars l and having means thereon to engage the other bar and clamp the bars together, resilient sleeves on said bars, said sleeves having metal linings to engage said bars, and said metal linings being separated from portions of said sleeves by'air spaces running lengthwise of the sleeves.

6. An article' of manufacture comprising a sleeve for spacer bars of an elastic material, and a tubular metal lining secured in said elastic sleeve, vsaid lining having a longitudinal channel therein, and said -sleeve having an internal longitudinal bearing portion seated insaid channel.

7. An article of manufacture l comprising a sleeve for spacer bars of an elastic material, and a tubular metal lining in said elastic sleeve, said lining having projecting corners running lengthkwise of said sleeve.

1 8. An article ofv manufacture comprising a sleeve for spacer bars of an elastic material, and

a tubular metal lining in said elastic sleeve, said lining having projecting corners running lengthwise of said sleeve, and said sleeve having thickened portions between said corners.

9. An article, of manufacture comprising a sleeve for spacer bars of an elastic material, and a tubular metal lining in said elastic sleeve, said sleeve having a longitudinally extending thickened gripping portion, and said lining having a longitudinal channel backing up said gripping portion.

10. A sleeve for spacer bars of hair curlers comprising a tubular rubber sleeve, a tubular metal lining 'secured in said rubber sleeve, said sleeve having air spaces between the lining and the rubber.

11. A spacer for hair curlers comprising a pair of bars, means at one end of vsaid bars hinging them together, resilient clamping sleeves onl said bars, and a locking device for locking the free ends of said bars together comprising a link pivoted to one of said bars, said link having means thereon for engaging the other bar and .pressing it toward the iirst named bar, said first named bar having a slot therein, and said link having a pivot member seated in said slot, said pivot member being held in said slot by resilient means.

12. A spacer comprising a pair of hair clamping bars hingedly connected at one end, slidably removable rubber sleeves having metal linings therein on said bars, and a releasable and detachable connecting and clamping link on the free ends of said bars, said metal linings being shorter than said rubber sleeves.

13. A spacer comprising a pair of hair clamping bars hingedly connected at one end, slidably removable rubber sleeves having metal linings therein on said bars,fand a releasable and detachable connecting and clamping link on the free ends of said bars, said metal linings comprising strips of relatively thin metal folded to substantially encompass said bars whereby said linings are flexible and compressible.

14. An article of manufacture comprising a sleeve adapted to be removably mounted upon spacer bars of their curlers, said sleeve comprisingan outer sleeve of elastic material, and a tubular metal lining secured in said elastic sleeve.

15. An article of manufacture comprising a sleeve adapted to be removably mounted upon a spacer bar of a hair curler, said sleeve comprising an outer sleeve of elastic material, and a tubular metal lining in said elastic sleeve, said lining terminating short of the ends of the elastic sleeve.

MARION W. PITNER. 

